This is a link to my RSS feed.

Using Technology to Enhance Learning

This podcast is highlights of my paper about using technology to facilitate learning in the classroom.

Using Technology to Facilitate Learning

Technology is evolving at an ever-increasing rate. Smart phones, I Pads, Bindles, I Pods, computers and smart boards are rampant on my campus. I have taught high-school Spanish for five years now and I regret to say, for various reasons, that I have failed to take full advantage of the technology around me to enhance student learning of Spanish. Talking with my colleagues it is apparent that I am far from alone in my failure to utilize these tools at our disposal. Because of my deficiencies in utilizing technology in my instruction I have decided to investigate the issues of computer enhanced learning. In this investigation I will address the political issues involved with technology in the schools and the goals of computer-enhanced learning.

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Techclass

View more presentations from talanco68.

As I mentioned above, I have been a high-school teacher for the past five years. During that time, there has been pressure from my administration to increase the amount of computer-enhanced learning. Until I began this investigation, I could not really understand the pressure being applied by the administration. Obviously I understood that we as teachers need to prepare our students for a more technologically reliant society but there is more than that. According to Honey, Culp, & Spielvogel (2005), in the last ten years the United States has invested $66 billion in school technology and the general public would like to see a return on that investment. Legislators and taxpayers both want to see their money being used wisely and efficiently. If we fail to meet those expectations it is logical to assume that funding for new and updated technology in the classroom may be affected in the future.
Significant thought and planning by the teacher makes for an effective computer-enhanced learning environment. In the Many High School Technology Plan in Many, Louisiana (1997), the goals of the technology program are as follows:
• To integrate technology into all aspects of instruction in the curriculum
• To develop staff competency in technology
• To enhance student achievement
• To promote effective and efficient use of technology by students and staff
While somewhat dated, these goals are still relevant to any high school in the world. In looking at the goals of technology-enhanced learning it is best to begin with the ways students learn with technology and then figure out how to exploit those ways of learning through technology. Jonassen, Howland, Marra, & Crismond (2010) posit that thinking creates learning. In this study the authors identify five ways in which students think while learning using different technologies. They are:
• Causal – cause and effect.
• Analogical – using analogies to understand new ideas.
• Expressive – using technology to express what the learner knows.
• Experiential – using technology to experience new things in the course of learning.
• Problem Solving – using technology to express and convey learner knowledge.
If we accept this research then it becomes a matter of utilizing technology in the classroom to cultivate these types of thinking to promote student learning. The teacher or the curriculum specialist can look at what will be taught and then analyze how best to use technology to create the thinking environment necessary for the students to master the material. Again, as I said earlier, many teachers are reluctant to implement the use of technology because they are unsure how to do it and why they are doing it. The above analysis of student thinking answers the question why we should use technology and should give us an idea of how to go about implementing technology in the classroom to enhance learning.
Berry & Wintle (2009) report on an experiment in Maine where two science classes were given similar assignments. One class, the control group, was to complete the assignment on paper while the other class was given laptop computers to use to complete similar but somewhat more complicated assignments dealing with the same subject matter as the control group. This study found that the students given the laptops were on task 100% of the time as opposed to 70% of the time for the control group. Post assessment scores revealed that students in the control group had a mean mastery score of 81% as opposed to the students given the laptops who had a mean mastery score of 91%. This research demonstrates that implementing technology to enhance learning may increase the rate students are on task as well as the rate at which they achieve. This seems to be a win-win situation. Honey, Culp, & Spielvogel (2005) report on several pieces of research to support technology’s positive effects on student learning. So why are most teachers, including myself, still not using these fabulous tools at our disposal? The simple answer I believe is fear. Speaking from my own experience and that of my colleagues over the past five years, we just do not know enough about software programs and how they can help us to enhance learning.

So what is the solution? If we revisit the Many High School Technology Plan (1997), the first step is to develop staff competency in technology. I believe this is the biggest stumbling block for teachers not utilizing technology. It is very difficult to bring something into your classroom to use to teach your students if you have not mastered it. We believe it reduces our credibility in the eyes of our students if we are not 100% proficient in what we are doing in class. So, rather than risk showing incompetence, we resist incorporating technology into our practice. We resist, fully aware that technology may increase achievement and on-task behavior of our students. This would appear to be a lose-lose situation. Our job could be made easier and student achievement could be enhanced if we could only engage. We must engage in professional development to learn new technologies and how to implement them in our classroom. We must engage our colleagues around us as mentors to help us learn better ways to implement technology n the classroom. We must engage our students and help them to explore the curriculum in ways that get them to think critically to promote learning.
 
References
Berry, A.M., & Wintle, S.E. (2009). Using Laptops to facilitate middle school science learning: the results of hard fun . Retrieved from http://www.usm.maine.edu/cepare/pdf/Bristol_Final_Copy_cover
Honey, M., Culp, K.M., & Spielvogel, R. (2005). Critical issue: using technology to enhance student achievement. Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te800
Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R.M., & Crismond, D. (2010). How does Technology facilitate learning?. Retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/how-does-technology-facilitate-learning/
Unknown, . (1997). Many High school technology plan. Retrieved from http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/mhs1/techplan.htm